i hear ya on that... ...BUT...riding a carver isn't really like skating. i injured my neck surfing last thanksgiving & was out of the water for a good 6 weeks. riding a carver, once i could turn my head a bit again, really helped both scratch the itch & liven up that ol' muscle memory. i've been surfing for more than 20 years, but having a fun tool like the carver around has really been great for my surfing. keeps me sharp.
Thanks. Might go back to the old board for a bit. Originally, I had wanted to avoid that, as it was a beginner's board and felt I'd already been on it long enough (11 mos.). Used to do quite a bit of body surfing during the summers (early 70s) as a kid in SoCal - Torrance, Redondo, Hermosa, Manhattan. Had buddies who would drive down to the Wedge in Newport. No, not me.
Two things Dos: If the 7 foot swallowtail is actually 22" wide and 3" thick, it has more than enough width and volume to catch anything. The board is not too small for making the transition. Second, If you've been surfing in a lot of 20 mph onshore or cross-shore choppy conditions, you aren't in a slump, you're just surfing in some horrible conditions. Wait for a decent chest high clean day and I'll bet after surfing in that slop, your slump will instantly over.
You're on the right path here. Oft-times, in fact, usually, it's selecting the right equipment for the conditions you're surfing. I.e., your 7' board is not always going to be the go-to just because you've been surfing for awhile now. If it's slow moving small stuff or slop then break out the big board, 'cause that's what's right for the conditions. When it gets bigger, you go with your 7-footer or whatever feels comfortable. Stating the obvious, perhaps, but the reason you have a quiver is 'cause there is no 'perfect board' for every wave - - despite what the marketing gurus in the surf industry want you to believe about their company's 'perfect board.' If you feel like your technique has slipped a bit, jump back on your aircraft carrier. Practice angled take-offs, go as steep & deep as you can & who cares if you pearl it or get clocked. It's funny sometimes: I see guys heading into the ocean to surf our east coast mushburgers, and they're young & ripped & stoked & toting their chip boards....and then we watch 'em flail away in the water when it's east coast summer softness, missing wave after wave, catching one once in awhile & bouncing along trying to generate speed like they're Kelly Effing Slater. Wrong equipment for the conditions = frustration. Or, in the case of the young studs, wrong equipment = poseur-doom. When it's basic out there, it's practice time. Just like any other sport. You're just looking to up your wave count & work on your surfing game. You've got a great outlook, man, no worries. Break out the big stick as needed, without hesitation. You'll be a happier surfer for it senor. South Bethany makes a great point about conditions. BTW, ignore the guy who's typing from his mum's garage in Boston. He's a self-described authority on everything but the Red Sox still have a few dozen championships to win before they approach greatness.
Just keep going back out there. Watching surfing videos always helps me out when I can not figure out what is up and what is down.
PJB ... don't forget about the tribal tattoo's, the bench offs, and ripping the 23ft waves on the east coast.... lol
Thanks, Yankee. Down the road, sometime next year, I'll likely be looking for a used longboard, 9-2 to 9-6 range. Doesn't have to be pretty. But gotta save the pennies first. Two kids in college, house needs a new roof....
Been doing same. Thanks. Much of the time I'm out there by myself, so it can be difficult determining what I'm doing improperly or what could be done better. My big challenge now seems to be timing and getting myself in the right part of the wave. More often than not lately, I either catch the wave right as it breaks and go over the falls, or it just roles past me. Although my wave count has been way down since downsizing almost a month ago, I do manage to get it right occasionally and have had some of my best rides.
Some of the windy, choppy sessions last month were a challenge for me. Did get some good workouts though - even when the sessions were short. A couple times, I couldn't get out. I'd wade out until almost stomach high, hop on the board and paddle-paddle-paddle like ant in a toilet bowl (not a dig on VB water quality), work on my miserable duck diving techniques as a dozen white water waves hit me in succession. After 10 plus minutes of this, I'd look back at the beach, laugh, shrug, get off the board, and walk the few steps out of the water. Then try again at several other spots and repeat the process with the same results. Maybe a good post for the kook thread.
Keep swinging DosXX! The older you get, the more foam you need to get to speed and do a good popup so you make the first section. Here is my advice: First recognize that consistency comes with experience. Go out there as much as you can. Some days you get the bear, some days the bear gets you. Second, get an Indo board. They run around $100 (get the shortboard version). It is a balance board you practice on a deck or carpet or when you get good, concrete. It will help you greatly on balance and your legs will get stronger and your pop ups will be better. 10 to 15 minutes a day for a week or two, and you will see a HUGE difference. It is like simulated surftime. Third, maybe you need to trade the 7' quad for a 7'4" to 7'6" fun shape thruster. The center fin will provide you with lots more stability. And if it had lots of nose rocker, you can still take off on some decent chest high plus drops. And a bit extra foam equals more paddle speed for the takeoff. Finally, do some push ups, pull ups, and burpees to increase your paddling power for that first initial burst.
We've all been there my man. It always starts out that way, but then one day you paddle out into some tough conditions and dominate, it comes with time in the water, good fitness, consistent and persistent effort. Nobody on this form just woke up one able to any of this. I'm 32 and started around 15, did it off and on for years and never really felt like I had gotten to the point where I felt totally in control, it was always hit or miss, some sessions walking away feeling like a complete kook (cause I was). When I got dedicated and started going every chance I got and wasn't afraid to ride the longer board that's when things really took off for me. I suddenly was in great shape, and dominating conditions I once struggled with. You're getting a later start than me but age is just a state of mind, you'll get it.
We have a lot of choppy days in Tx. Most of the time that's all we get. Timing and positioning are keys to me. Sometimes I win the battle, sometimes I don't. Longer boards do help but they can also be hard to paddle out in those conditions. I tend to do better when I have exercised a lot that week. Definately agree with pushups and burpees.Yankee was right about conditions. Shortboards can be really frustrating when the waves are too small. Its definately a progression. Dpsup was right, we all had to learn and suck at first. Keep at it.
When I'm in a surfing slump or a bad session I go paddling for 2 or 3 miles. it really sets my mind in a great zen state plus I'm building paddle power like crazy!! sometimes just up and down the coast or out and around the bouys and back.
You should take a surf trip. Get that new stick into some nice, solid waves. Get your confidence up and when you get back home you will be killing it. It always works for me. Its a good excuse for a trip.
turns out it's a costochondral separation (cartridge tears from the bone). Supposedly, take it'll take 4 more weeks to heal, but I already had a little surf trip planned two weeks from now. Hope it doesn't mess with me too bad, cause I'm going.
